While much of the music world has its eyes fixed on the red carpet and winners at the 2026 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Anoushka Shankar is spending the night far away from flashing cameras and award-season buzz. The sitarist and composer, who has been nominated twice this year, has chosen a quieter, more meaningful path, one that involves live music, familiar faces and being on the road in India.
Anoushka Shankar skipped Grammy 2026. Here's why?
Anoushka Shankar received her latest Grammy recognition for Best Global Music Performance for the track Daybreak, created in collaboration with Alam Khan and percussionist Sarathy Korwar. The song features on her album Chapter III: We Return to Light, which completes a trilogy she has been working on for years. The project explores themes of renewal, hope and new beginnings, drawing inspiration from the idea of dawn and its many interpretations.
Despite the scale of the achievement, she decided not to attend the ceremony. Taking to Instagram on Grammy day, she shared that she was deeply proud of the nominations, describing them as her 12th and 13th nods overall, a milestone she called “huge” in itself. At the same time, she admitted that it felt “really good” to not be in Los Angeles, away from what she described as the intense mix of excitement and pressure that often surrounds major award events.
Anoushka explained that her absence was not due to logistics or scheduling conflicts, but a conscious decision. She said she wanted to practise what she often speaks about, that awards, while validating, are not as important as the genuine connection artists feel when playing music for people. For her, that connection is strongest when she is performing live, surrounded by her band and audience, rather than navigating red carpets and industry expectations.
Mental health also played a key role in her decision. Anoushka Shankar was candid about how the awards circuit can take an emotional toll on artists. She shared that repeatedly hoping to win and then facing disappointment can be draining over time. Beyond the emotional aspect, she also talked about the financial strain involved, pointing out that attending and campaigning for awards can cost artists thousands of dollars through travel, promotions, marketing and appearances.
She further opened up about the realities of global music categories, noting that well-funded mainstream artists often enter these spaces with bigger promotional budgets and months of networking behind them. However, Shankar made it clear that these observations did not come from bitterness. Instead, she described them as an honest acknowledgement of how the system works behind the scenes.
Ultimately, Anoushka Shankar said that if she were to win, it would certainly be joyful, but not life-defining. For her, the real reward lies elsewhere. Being in India during the Grammys, she said, feels far more aligned with her true artistic life. Performing, laughing and creating music with her team, in the place where Chapter III first began, is what she considers the most meaningful celebration of her work.
In choosing music over medals, Anoushka Shankar is currently on India tour, started the journey from Hyderabad on Friday.
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Anoushka Shankar skipped Grammy 2026. Here's why?
Anoushka Shankar received her latest Grammy recognition for Best Global Music Performance for the track Daybreak, created in collaboration with Alam Khan and percussionist Sarathy Korwar. The song features on her album Chapter III: We Return to Light, which completes a trilogy she has been working on for years. The project explores themes of renewal, hope and new beginnings, drawing inspiration from the idea of dawn and its many interpretations.Despite the scale of the achievement, she decided not to attend the ceremony. Taking to Instagram on Grammy day, she shared that she was deeply proud of the nominations, describing them as her 12th and 13th nods overall, a milestone she called “huge” in itself. At the same time, she admitted that it felt “really good” to not be in Los Angeles, away from what she described as the intense mix of excitement and pressure that often surrounds major award events.
Anoushka explained that her absence was not due to logistics or scheduling conflicts, but a conscious decision. She said she wanted to practise what she often speaks about, that awards, while validating, are not as important as the genuine connection artists feel when playing music for people. For her, that connection is strongest when she is performing live, surrounded by her band and audience, rather than navigating red carpets and industry expectations.
Mental health also played a key role in her decision. Anoushka Shankar was candid about how the awards circuit can take an emotional toll on artists. She shared that repeatedly hoping to win and then facing disappointment can be draining over time. Beyond the emotional aspect, she also talked about the financial strain involved, pointing out that attending and campaigning for awards can cost artists thousands of dollars through travel, promotions, marketing and appearances.
She further opened up about the realities of global music categories, noting that well-funded mainstream artists often enter these spaces with bigger promotional budgets and months of networking behind them. However, Shankar made it clear that these observations did not come from bitterness. Instead, she described them as an honest acknowledgement of how the system works behind the scenes.
Ultimately, Anoushka Shankar said that if she were to win, it would certainly be joyful, but not life-defining. For her, the real reward lies elsewhere. Being in India during the Grammys, she said, feels far more aligned with her true artistic life. Performing, laughing and creating music with her team, in the place where Chapter III first began, is what she considers the most meaningful celebration of her work.
In choosing music over medals, Anoushka Shankar is currently on India tour, started the journey from Hyderabad on Friday.
